The Sleeping Devil

Vol. 4 - Chapter 6 - A New Project

Just a few days after Dalia's arrival, Marcel had already led the team back. Dalia, the only one remaining, continued to wander around me without getting bored.

Although documents were supposed to be sent from headquarters, I wondered if she was diligently handling her duties. Her unconstrained personality led her to join kitchen work, causing quite a bit of inconvenience.

"Sheri-chan, what are you doing?"

"I'm having the maids make meringue."

"Did Sheri-chan come up with the idea of meringue? I love that."

Even if praised, I won't be swayed! Dalia seemed fascinated as the transparent egg whites transformed into fluffy foam.

"You know, when I get washed, it also turns into foam. Sheri-chan, do you like foam?"

"It's just a coincidence."

Regular soap doesn't foam much, and Dalia, who hasn't even used soap, found it unusual. While answering her incessant questions, I watched Cork's work.

We've been having maids try it for the past few days, and the results are promising enough to try it on Dior. We pay the trial participants separately, but due to its high popularity, selecting a few each time has become quite challenging.

"This time, I'm making a beauty pack for mothers, not sweets."

"Wow! Sheri-chan, you're also doing business for the Sheri Company? You're amazing even though you're so small."

"Difficult tasks are handled by my aide; I just offer a bit of input."

"It looks delicious, can I eat it?"

"Well... you can, but it's not supposed to taste good."

"Then why add lemon?"

"Lemons have high beauty benefits. For various skin issues... Well, it's said that exposure to sunlight isn't good, but nobles don't walk outside, so it should be fine. It's specialized care anyway, not a simple morning pack. And it adds a bit of fragrance."

"Huh? I don't really get it, but am I not suitable for this?"

"It's fine for the evening. Dalia-sama, you probably just magically cleanse your face in the morning, right?"

"Yeah, that's right! Sheri-chan, you're good at herbalism too?"

"Uh, herbalism? It's somewhat related, I guess..."

The meringue for the pack contains honey and lemon. Despite its appearance being about five times that of lemons from my past life, the taste and fragrance were similar, so I've been verifying the effects and side effects since my skincare research.

It's mostly a vague sense of improvement, like feeling good or a brightening of the skin. However, the effectiveness of honey, especially honey gathered from flowers with magical properties, was unexpectedly remarkable. Applying it as a lip pack made the lips plump in just a few minutes. While honey alone would be sufficient for moisturizing, I decided to mix it into the meringue pack for pore care this time.

Carrying the freshly made meringue, I head to Dior's treatment room. Over the past two years, Dior has created a spa-like space underground.

The semi-underground treatment room is gently illuminated, with magical lamps softly lighting the floor. The subtle scent of soft roses creates an elegant and relaxing atmosphere. The long, narrow platform made of marble is used for massages and hair washing, heated with magic like a rock bath.

Embedded in the floor is a shallow circular tub that could fit about three people, and Dior was lounging in it.

"Sorry for the wait; here's the new pack."

"Hehe, I've been looking forward to it."

I hand the meringue to a maid, and she applies it to Dior's face. The foam remains intact, neatly resting on her face, indicating a successful application.

However, making meringue packs is foolproof. Even in my past life, when I used only egg yolks, I would whip the leftover egg whites into a foam with a facial net for a pack, so it's not particularly challenging.

"If you feel any discomfort on your skin midway, please inform the maid immediately."

"Yes, I understand. Let's have tea later. Will you wait upstairs?"

I retrieve Dalia, who is waiting outside the door, and head to Dior's salon.

Spending time together like this has become less bothersome. I thought I was accustomed to dealing with people who don't listen, but Dalia is not so much a communication issue as she is simply capricious. Moreover, her unnecessarily active mind leads her to argue about every reasoning. In the end, I realized there's no choice but to let her do as she pleases, and I felt a slight sympathy for Marcel.

"Why did Dalia-sama want to apprentice under Professor Julius?"

I ask Dalia, who is nibbling on a cookie. This might be the first time I've asked her a question.

"Huh? Well, that kid... no, Professor Julius is amazing! He hardly leaks out that much magic power, right? Moreover, he releases magic power with a range that even Marcel, a high-ranking noble, can't match. He's better at magic manipulation alone than me, you know?"

I thought I understood Julius's greatness, but coming from Dalia, the current head of the Magic Guild, it must be quite extraordinary.

"Sheri-chan, you have a lot of magic power too. Julius-sama was caught off guard because he was distracted by that, and it surprised me."

"It seems I have an issue with excessive mana flow from my origin, and when I try to control it, I end up petrifying. Currently, it's flowing freely."

"Petrification?! Is that okay? You might need to form a contract with a spirit or seal your magic power."

"Can you really seal magic power?"

"Yeah, for noble criminals, they might seal it from the origin and drop them down to commoners. Since they can't live as nobles anymore, petrification is like death for the nobility."

There seemed to be other methods besides forming a contract with a spirit. Julius probably understood my intentions at that time, as I was the one who expressed a desire to be able to use magic.

"I'm currently adjusting my magic power and, well, I found a dragon's child, so I'm letting it absorb magic power for adjustments."

"Wow, a dragon?! There's one here?! I want to see!!"

With a loud noise, Dalia stands up. I might have spoken too much unintentionally. But, I understand... knowing that there's a dragon and not wanting to see it is incomprehensible.

Since I'm a bit concerned about leaving Ciel alone, I decided to invite Dalia to my room once. It doesn't take much time since we've moved to the main house. As I enter the room quietly to avoid waking up Ciel, he's fluttering around the room.

"Oh, Ciel was awake. Sorry, were you lonely?"

"Wow~! It's real! The first time I've seen a live dragon!"

Ciel lands gracefully in my arms, folding his wings. He looks at Dalia with a dignified expression.

"Wow, it's dangerously cute! What is this? It's super calm!"

"That's right, that's right. Ciel is truly well-behaved."

It was the first time someone appreciated the cuteness of a dragon. Most people either react with fear or

 caution. Julius seemed to be the only one accustomed to it, but he treated Ciel more like a magical beast.

"Would you like to hold him? Ciel seems interested in Dalia-sama as well."

"Really?"

Dalia crouched down a bit and carefully took Ciel in her arms. Whether he understands human kindness or not, Ciel remains calm while being held. He begins to nibble on the decoration attached to Dalia's mage robe.

"Aww, so cute! But no, I can feel a lot of magic power being absorbed. Sheri-chan, you're okay with this?"

"Is that so... Indeed, dragons seem to feed on magic power."

"I've never heard of dragons absorbing magic power before."

"Dalia-sama, if there's ever a dragon extermination mission, could you please guide it to the Demon's Forest? As it doesn't crave flesh and blood, if someone with high magic power leads it, it should peacefully reside in an area rich in magic."

While we might not know if there will be a dragon extermination incident during our lifetime, just having this knowledge might make a difference.

"That's a good idea. With an extermination, there's a risk of the whole team being wiped out. Marcel could act as a decoy!"

I couldn't help but feel a sense of approval toward Dalia's sly smile. Well, it's not like I disliked her before...

Returning to Dior's salon with Ciel in my arms, we resumed our tea party.

"Is Dior okay with the dragon?"

"Oh, come to think of it, I haven't introduced them yet... What should I do if she gets mad?"

While I had mentioned finding a dragon, there hadn't been an opportunity to introduce him since he usually stays behind during meals. Dalia reassures, "It'll be fine," so Ciel joins us as we wait for Dior together.

"Did I keep you waiting?"

Dior, polished to a gleam, enters the room. Her gently wavy crimson hair enhances its shine, and her skin has a healthy and vibrant complexion rather than an unnatural whiteness.

"How was the foam pack?"

"Yes, it's incomparable to the previous pack."

Of course, it wouldn't be the same. Not properly washing the face and merely wiping it with blood would only make it even rougher. If that image were to persist, it would interfere with the next plan.

"Mother, are you not using white powder? Your skin is so radiant."

"That's right! That foam pack is excellent. Pores are less noticeable, and I think I no longer need white powder!"

"Sister, seriously, you're the most beautiful in the world! You're not using magic, right? Are you using some amazing herbs?"

Perhaps pleased by Dalia's praise, Dior seems to have lost the initial tension. It might be due to the daily baths she has been having for the past few days.

By the way, Dalia still claims that the bathwater gets muddy... On the first day, she happily reported that the water turned gray.

"Sheriel, do you plan to commercialize that pack too?"

"No, since it involves live ingredients, selling it would be difficult. It's easy to make, so I think it would be enough to share the recipe and method with your acquaintances, Mother."

"Hehe, you're considerate."

It might not concern me directly, but even this level of information can become a potent weapon in social circles. Originally, Dior's beauty, charisma, and aesthetic sense made her highly magnetic, but recently, she's been revered as a goddess of beauty.

Alright, it seems she liked the pack. Since Dalia doesn't seem interested in beauty, we move on to the main topic.

"Regarding the clay mud we found during the trip, I would like to sell it as cosmetics and beauty products. I brought some samples; would you mind trying them out a bit?"

"I trust Sheriel, but putting mud on my face... isn't it messy?"

"It's processed clay, not just regular mud. It's used for treatments locally, so it's hygienic. Of course, as usual, maids are testing it as well."

Dalia doesn't seem to understand the topic, but I made sure to stress the importance of not revealing it.

The clays brought from Klayla are first turned into powder using a magical drying tool, then crushed to remove impurities like gravel. It seems that excessive drying is also not ideal, and adjustments are still being made.

Both chocolates and clays rely on how finely the particles can be ground, so the research on pulverization is a win-win situation, killing two birds with one stone.

After drying and turning them into powder, the color differences become clear. Mixing them together creates a foundation. The healing-effect peach-colored powder is blended with honey and floral water to create a mask.

While the exact formulation is still under research, I've managed to create something that looks promising, so it's time to reveal it to Dior.

Preparing a basin and cloth on a separate table, I encourage them to move. When I'm about to stand up, I remember the sleeping Ciel on my lap. As Ciel peeks out from the table, she and Dior lock eyes.

"Oh, that's the beautiful scale... I'd like to turn it into a necklace."

As long as it's beautiful... Anyway, I'm relieved that she didn't scold me. No, I'm starting to worry that Ciel's scales might be unknowingly plucked.

"When it molts, I'll give some to Mother as well..."

"Sheriel-chan! I want some too!"

Ignoring Dalia's shout, I guide them to another table. Taking Dior's hand, I apply the prototype clay pack to her palm.

"Oh, it's smooth. No roughness, and it adheres perfectly to the skin."

"Yes. Leave it for a while, then rinse. It seems to have higher dirt adsorption power than the foam pack you tried today, and it contains a bit of magic, so it should be effective against skin problems."

Their eyes immediately change. Dalia, who claimed to have no interest in beauty, seemed curious. Does she want to try it?

"Sheriel-chan, does that mean you crushed magic ore? How extravagant can you get?"

"It's clay. Maybe in other places, it becomes a mineral, but here, it seems to be only clay where people can access."

"Wait, finding magic in clay is an incredible discovery!"

"Well, then please keep it a secret."

Even Dior, who showed reluctance towards mud, is now staring at her palm with anticipation. Gently rinsing it with a basin and wiping it lightly with a cloth, her skin is reborn with a plump and translucent texture. Somehow, it feels like something I've seen on TV shopping before...

Prompting her to compare it with the other hand, Dior gazes at both hands in ecstasy.

"As expected of Sheriel, you're such a frightening girl...! The hands really reveal your age. Look at this firmness and gloss... splendid."

"Combine the premium ones and the commercial ones. We'll see when it's the right time to expand to the market."

"Understood."

Good, she seems to like it quite a bit. Dior tends to monopolize what she likes for about a year around her before gradually spreading it as a

 trend when envy from others accumulates.

"Well, wait a minute. Isn't this supposed to be a mother-daughter conversation? Sheriel-chan, what are you exactly!"

"Dalia, did you forget where you are? It's normal in the Beriard house."

Dior, with a slowly rising corner of her mouth, silenced Dalia with a bewitching charm.